are we witnessing a weak era or a "balanced" era

[tpols]

Not necessarily weak, but definite LeBeta era

[nzahir]

Not necessarily weak, but definite LeBeta era

Its a top 2-3 era.
90s, then 80s and then the era of 2000s to now

[TheCorporation]

Obviously more balanced...

We won't be seeing someone winning 11 rings again
We very likely won't be seeing someone getting to 9 finals (Magic Johnson)
We very likely won't even see someone 3-peat again (Jordan/Shaq)

Just to put this balanced era into context, the Dynasty Spurs have never won back-to-back...Hell, 2014 was the first time the Spurs ever even appeared in the Finals back-to-back let alone win it all.

In 2013 they lost in the Finals
In 2014 they won it all
In 2015 they lost in the 1st round

Very balanced.

You won't ever see someone winning 10 scoring titles in a row like MJ, either. Hell, Durant had the only chance and Melo already messed that up and then his own teammate did

[Marchesk]

We very likely won't be seeing someone getting to 9 finals (Magic Johnson)

Lebron only needs 3 more in the East with a good young Cavs roster.

He could end up 4 for 9.

[scandisk_]

You won't ever see someone winning 10 scoring titles in a row like MJ, either. Hell, Durant had the only chance and Melo already messed that up and then his own teammate did

Prime MJ playing today means Durant can kiss his chances of winning that title (even a single one) unless MJ gets injured of course.

And no one won that title 10x in a row

[GimmeThat]

with a direct jab at the Espn professionals at Connecticut,

the popularity of the sport, as well as ratings, probably determines it more than anything else.

[TheCorporation]

Lebron only needs 3 more in the East with a good young Cavs roster.

He could end up 4 for 9.

What LBJ has done is already uncanny (5 consecutive NBA Finals appearances in modern NBA) but I guess if anyone could get to 9 Finals it would be him. It is possible, but I'm not sure how likely. I think he gets to 2 more and wins them both (as the man).

[TheCorporation]

Prime MJ playing today means Durant can kiss his chances of winning that title (even a single one) unless MJ gets injured of course.

And no one won that title 10x in a row

MJ won for 10 years in a row, in my book.

He won 7, left for two years, came back and won 3 more times.

He won for 10 consecutive seasons that he played...

Hell, we can say he won "only" 7 in a row then. We probably won't see that happen again, either. The only two times someone won 7 scoring titles was during an era that obviously wasn't as balanced. Wilt and Jordan did it, and I am not taking anything away, as I've said I don't think anyone will ever amass 10 scoring titles in their career again. The league is simply too balanced. Durant won 3, then Melo won one, then KD won another then Westbrook beat him lol So there was his chance to get to 10, or 7 in a row.

[Asukal]

Weak era. Star players getting injured one after another. Old ass spurs being a factor every year? I love the spurs tho.

EDIT: Add in the best player of the era is a BETA pos.

[Jasper]

watching Lakers and Boston with Bird and Majic , that was a weak a$$ era(.)

They dominated the league , and no other team truly competed.

Bulls on the other hand , could be considered the same , but two of the greatest 50 players on the same team, in a war of defenses was not a weak era.

I actually believe that its a balanced league right now.
Teams have multiple players that at any given time would be all-stars in past decades... in other words we have better players and that means better teams.

League really doesn't have a team that is stacked to the gills with awesome players that would dominate the whole league.


My point is enjoy.

[Dragonyeuw]

The 00' stars( meaning the guys who came in late 90's and retiring or on the way out) were much stronger across the board than the current crop of stars who joined in the past decade or so. Asides from Lebron, Durant, Wade, who else is there? Harden? Howard? Griffin? Alridge? Those guys don't sniff the 80s/90s/00s best. Westbrook and Curry are getting there, Rose has had one relatively healthy season in the last 4....I mean no. This current era in terms of star player is much weaker.

[Rocketswin2013]

The league is as strong as ever, period.

[Jailblazers7]

It's a function of the Spurs and Warriors play style and roster composition more than anything.

[HurricaneKid]

This is entirely due to the radical shifting of the defensive rules and strategies. You can stop ANYONE in todays game. Its made for a far more balanced game. You cannot have 1 note "specialists" anymore. Anyone defenses don't have to concern themselves with become enormous burdens on offensive production (see Bogut "guarding" Tony Allen). The worse the shooter, the more help his man can give.

[oh the horror]

Neither weak nor balanced. It's Bron's era.

TD and Kobe are on the way out

WB, Steph, Beard, AD are all stepping up. We'll prolly have a more balanced league when bron's game hits father time.

Brons era? How is it his era when he's getting rocked in the finals more than once? He has a losing finals record dude. Hardly "his era "